Avocado Chicken Salad
Published June 24, 2022 • Updated February 17, 2026
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This avocado chicken salad is my go-to when I need a filling keto lunch in under 10 minutes. Creamy avocado, shredded chicken, and hard boiled eggs over romaine with a simple sherry herb vinaigrette.
I make this chicken and avocado salad at least twice a week, and it’s the meal that keeps me from grabbing something I shouldn’t when my schedule gets chaotic. It comes together in about 10 minutes if you have leftover chicken ready to go, which I almost always do. It’s the same idea as my one minute pizza bowl or my grilled cheese sandwich: keep the prep minimal so staying keto isn’t a battle.
What makes this more than just chicken on lettuce is the combination of textures. Creamy avocado, firm hard boiled eggs, juicy tomato wedges, and crisp romaine all in one bowl. I toss on a sherry herb vinaigrette instead of mayo because I like the brightness of it, and honestly it just tastes cleaner. No heavy dressing weighing everything down.
The macros are what sold me on making this a regular rotation meal. 26 grams of protein per serving from the chicken and eggs combined, plus the healthy monounsaturated fat from the avocado keeps me satisfied for hours. Avocado also brings fiber and potassium, which I notice makes a real difference on keto when electrolytes can run low.
I usually use Instant Pot shredded chicken that I batch cook on Sundays, but a rotisserie chicken from the deli works just as well. I’ve also used leftover grilled chicken thighs, which add a little more flavor. If you like chicken salads, try my broccoli chicken salad, grilled chicken caesar salad, or Thai chicken salad for more variety in your weekly lineup.
I serve this as a low carb lunch most of the time, but it’s substantial enough for dinner too. Sometimes I’ll skip the plate entirely and wrap everything in butter lettuce cups, or stuff it into halved avocados for a different presentation. Either way, this is the kind of simple meal that I come back to because it actually tastes like something I want to eat, not something I’m forcing down because it fits my macros.
How to make avocado chicken salad
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Ingredients
1 pound cooked chicken -
2 hearts romaine lettuce, chopped
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1 medium avocado, sliced
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1 medium tomato, diced
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4 hard boiled eggs, quartered
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1/4 cup olive oil
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1/4 cup sherry vinegar
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1-2 teaspoons Bragg's Sprinkle Herbs or Italian seasoning
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salt & pepper to taste
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Assemble salad
In a large platter or serving bowl, lay down a bed of lettuce. Top with chopped chicken, diced tomatoes, sliced avocado and hard boiled eggs.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros (Free) →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add mayo to this avocado chicken salad?
I skip mayo because the avocado gives you that same creamy richness without it. But I've tested a version with a tablespoon of mayo mixed in, and it works if that's what you prefer. I just find the sherry vinaigrette keeps the whole salad lighter and lets the avocado flavor come through more.
What's the best way to prevent the avocado from turning brown?
I squeeze fresh lemon or lime juice over the avocado slices right after cutting. That buys me about 4-5 hours before any browning starts. For meal prep, I leave the avocado whole and slice it fresh when I'm ready to eat. I've tried the "pit in the bowl" trick and storing with onion, and honestly the citrus juice works best.
Can I use canned chicken instead of fresh?
I've used canned chicken in a pinch and it's fine. I drain it well and break it up with a fork. The texture is softer than shredded breast, so it blends into the salad differently. My preference is still leftover Instant Pot chicken or rotisserie from the deli, but canned works for a fast version.
How do I cook the chicken for this salad?
I batch cook chicken breasts in my Instant Pot every Sunday, which gives me shredded chicken ready for the whole week. But I've also used pan-seared thighs (sliced thin), air fryer chicken, and rotisserie. Thighs give you more flavor and a bit more fat. For the easiest option, just grab a rotisserie chicken from the store and shred it.
What is in Wendy's Southwest Avocado Salad?
I looked this up because a reader asked me to compare. Wendy's version has chopped lettuce, grilled chicken breast, guacamole, diced tomatoes, bacon, shredded pepper Jack cheese, and a southwest ranch dressing. My version skips the cheese and ranch, which cuts the carbs significantly, and I use a lighter vinaigrette instead.
How many calories are in an avocado?
One medium Hass avocado has about 360 calories, which sounds like a lot until you realize most of that is from healthy monounsaturated fat. I split one avocado across 4 servings in this salad, so you're getting roughly 90 calories of avocado per plate. That's the kind of fat I prioritize on keto because it keeps me full for hours.
Can I freeze this chicken salad?
I wouldn't freeze the assembled salad. The lettuce and avocado turn to mush once thawed. What I do freeze is the cooked chicken in portions, then build fresh salads as I need them. The chicken thaws in the fridge overnight or in a bowl of cold water in about 30 minutes.
How long does this last in the fridge?
I've kept the undressed components in the fridge for up to 3 days with no issues. The key is keeping the vinaigrette separate until you're ready to eat. Once dressed, I'd eat it within an hour or two before the lettuce starts wilting. The chicken and eggs on their own hold up to 4 days refrigerated.
I didn't have sherry vinegar so I used red wine vinegar and squeezed half a lemon in too (was bracing myself for a mess honestly) and the dressing came out sharper and brighter than I expected, like it cut right through the avocado instead of getting lost in it. Three days in a row this week for lunch. On day two I laid down crispy bacon under the avocado slices and I need you to know this is non-negotiable for me now. The bacon plus the hard boiled eggs plus the creamy avocado is something else entirely, way more filling than I thought this salad would be. Also used leftover rotisserie chicken and it shredded perfectly, just noting that in case anyone else is too lazy to cook chicken from scratch specifically for a salad.
Bacon under the avocado is going in my notes. Red wine vinegar plus lemon makes sense, the sherry is more mellow so the swap sharpens it up. Rotisserie is what I grab 90% of the time honestly.
Tripling this for a team lunch Thursday and I've made enough big-batch salads to know the dressing is where things go sideways. I keep coming back to the sherry vinegar ratio (equal parts vinegar to oil is pretty acidic) and I'm not sure whether to scale straight across with triple the romaine to coat. Does acidity distribute differently on a big platter, or is this just a straight-multiply situation? Also assembling Thursday morning and transporting, so curious about the avocado. How long does it hold once fully built? Dress right before serving, or does it travel okay already assembled?
Same ratio no matter the batch size. Acidity doesn't shift with scale, but 3/4 cup sherry vinegar is a lot so I'd build to taste (start at 2/3 cup, adjust). Romaine on a platter gets uneven coverage anyway, so keep extra dressing on the side.
Avocado: lemon juice right after slicing. Holds 4-5 hours. Transport assembled but undressed, toss on-site. Once it's dressed the romaine softens fast.